Improving the appearance of the skin has been the goal of many esthetic products and procedures for many years, since a tight skin, without wrinkles or cellulite, has a younger and more appealing appearance. Apart from age related changes, the skin also suffers from exposure to chemical and physical injuries, such as tobacco, cosmetics, esthetics and radiation from the sun and other sources. Those factors contribute to the decrease in collagen production, to reduced elasticity, and the appearance of wrinkles.
A few main approaches to tightening of the skin are common practice today. The surgical approach carries disadvantages related to the anesthesia, the surgical complications, and the healing process, which may cause scars. The chemical peel approach usually involves injury to the outermost layer of the skin—the epidermis—which may cause discoloration. Since collagen fibers are found in the dermis—the subcutaneous layer of the skin, and since heat was shown to contract these fibers and generate their production [Zelickson B D, Kist D, Bernstein E, Brown D B, Ksenzenko S, Burns J, Kilmer S, Mehregan D, Pope K. Histological and ultrastructural evaluation of the effects of a radiofrequency-based nonablative dermal remodeling device: a pilot study. Arch Dermatol. 2004 February; 140 (2):204-9], methods of differentially heating the dermis (deep tissue diathermy) have recently arisen.
Different techniques for skin rejuvenation are known in art in which a substrate is used with application of light sources. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,066 discloses a flexible patch provided with a plurality of light sources mounted in spaced-apart array on its undersurface and covered with an optically transparent polymer material. The light sources are energized with an electrical current supplied by a flexible polymer battery, which is preferably rechargeable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,575 discloses an apparatus for treating neonatal jaundice is in the form of a garment which has semiconductor light sources affixed thereto for radiating toward the “inside” of the garment when the infant is dressed in the garment.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,442 discloses an illumination unit which includes a thin and substrate and flexible electrical tracks formed on the substrate. A number of solid-state light generating sources are arranged on the substrate along the electrical tracks and are electrically connected to the electrical tracks. A flexible and optically transparent encapsulant is provided to encapsulate the light generating sources on the substrate such that the illumination unit is both thin and flexible.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,713 discloses flexible illuminators for external phototherapy, each having at least one light generating source, preferably a plurality of light-generating sources, on a substrate. The substrate may be a circuit board, and the light-generating source may be surface mount LEDs. Structures for diffusing light emitted from the discrete light-generating sources and/or for transferring heat away from a skin contact surface are provided. The illuminators may be formed so as to be wrapped around an infant or a limb of an adult, or may be provided in larger configurations, such as a mat. The illuminators may be passively or actively cooled so that the skin contact surface remains below a desired temperature.
Other patents disclose different treatments for increasing skin rejuvenation by RF electrodes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,238,183 discloses a system and a method for treating a skin target. A temperature effector creates a temperature difference between the target and the skin tissue surrounding the target such that the target is at a higher temperature than the surrounding tissue by at least 5° C. One or more RF electrodes are attached to the skin and RF energy is applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,753 discloses a method for forming and contracting scar collagen below a tissue surface in a selected tissue site. An electromagnetic energy apparatus is provided and includes an electromagnetic energy source and a delivery device. The delivery device is positioned on the tissue surface. Electromagnetic energy is produced from the electromagnetic energy source and delivered through the tissue surface to the selected tissue site for a sufficient time to induce scar collagen formation in the selected tissue site. No more than a second degree burn is formed on the tissue surface. The scar collagen is then contracted. This method is particularly useful in tissue sites that are devoid or deficient in collagen.
One of the advantages of using RF energy for skin beautification procedures is the high energy which can be supplied to the treatment area. This high energy provides substantial treatment results which are much better, quicker and efficient than the results of which could be achieved by a light source (e.g., LEDs).
None of the prior art documents discloses a substrate which includes RF electrodes which is able to exploit the advantages of the RF electrodes with the advantages of the substrate. Therefore, there is a long felt need to develop a substrate with RF sources which will be able to provide a treatment for skin beautification.